ACT III

SCENE:--_Therese's studio at the bookbinding workshops of Messrs. Feliat and Gueret at Evreux. Strewn about are materials for binding books: patterns, tools, and silks. A glazed door on the right opens into the general women's workshops, and there is a door leading into a small office on the left. In the middle, towards the back, is a large drawing table; several easels stand about. There are some chairs and a small bureau. Cards hang upon the walls, on which are printed the text of the Factory Laws. There is a door at the back._

_It is October._

_Monsieur Gueret and Monsieur Feliat come in excitedly._

GUeRET. I tell you Duriot's men are coming out on strike.

FeLIAT. And I ask you, what's that to me?

GUeRET. Ours will do the same.

FeLIAT. Oh no, they won't.

GUeRET. You'll see.

FeLIAT. Duriot's men are furious with the women because of what happened last year.

GUeRET. They say woman's the enemy in business.

FeLIAT. Let 'em talk.

GUeRET. They want Duriot to sack all his women.

FeLIAT. And I've told you why. There's no danger of anything like that happening here.

GUeRET. You think so, do you? Well, you'll see.

FeLIAT. We shall see.

GUeRET. You'll give in only after they've broken two or three of your machines as they did Duriot's, or done something worse, perhaps.

FeLIAT. My dear Gueret, I get out of the women for a cent what I have to pay the men three cents for. And as long as I can economize ten cents on the piece I shall go on.

GUeRET. You'll regret it. If I was in your place--[_He stops_]

FeLIAT. Well, what would you do if you were in my place?

GUeRET. What should I do?

FeLIAT. Yes, what?

GUeRET. I shouldn't take long to think. I'd cut off a finger to save my hand, I'd turn out every one of the women to-morrow.

FeLIAT. You're mad. You've always objected to my employing women, and I know very well why.

GUeRET. Well, let's hear why.

FeLIAT. You want to know. Well, because you've been jealous of Therese ever since she came here six months ago.

GUeRET. Oh, I say!

FeLIAT. That's it; my sister can't endure her.

GUeRET. Marguerite--

FeLIAT. You know she wouldn't even see her when she came down from Paris; and if Therese got work here, it was in spite of Marguerite. I was wiser than you about this. The girl's courage appealed to me. She's plucky and intelligent. Oh, I don't want to make myself out cleverer than I am. I took her a bit out of pity, and I thought she'd draw me a few designs; that was all I expected. But she has energy and initiative.

She organized the two workrooms, and now she's got the whole thing into order by starting this Union.

GUeRET. The Hen's Union.

FeLIAT. What?

GUeRET. That's what the men call her Union. You should hear the things they say about it.

FeLIAT. Well, long live the Hen's Union! A hen's plucky when it has to be.

GUeRET. Seriously, it's just this Union which has annoyed the men. They feel it's dangerous.

FeLIAT. Very well. I'll be ready for them.

_Therese comes in._

GUeRET. I'll go and find out what's going on.

FeLIAT. Yes, do.

_Monsieur Gueret goes out._

THeReSE. I've just been seeing the man who makes our finishing tools. He says it's perfectly easy to make a tool from the drawing I did that won't be more expensive than the old one. [_Looking for a paper and finding it on the table_] Here's the drawing. You see I've thought of cheapness, but I've not sacrificed utility. After all, it's only a copy of a Grolier, just a little altered.

FeLIAT. Very good, but what will the price come out at?

THeReSE. How much do you think.

FeLIAT. I can easily do it. [_He calculates during what follows_]

THeReSE. The beating won't be done with a hammer, but in the rolling machine; the sawing-in and the covering will be done as usual.

FeLIAT [_having finished his sum_] Two francs forty.

THeReSE [_triumphantly_] One franc seventy. You've calculated on the basis of men's work. But, if you approve, I'll open a new workroom for women in the old shop. Lucienne can manage it. I could let Madame Princeteau take Lucienne's present place, and I'll turn out the stuff at the price I quoted.

FeLIAT. But that's first-rate. I give you an absolutely free hand.

THeReSE. Thank you, Monsieur Feliat.